This is How it Ends
by Iron Matron
Summary: 3 Part. Warning: Draft. Warning: Spoilers. Warning: Angst. Here is what I wanted to happen after 3x07.
1. She was only Friend Material

**Disclaimer:**_** I own nothing of Arrow or CW. I make no profit from this product. it is purely for personal use and NOT to be sold or marketed by me or others with express written consent by the actual concept owners**_

_**This is still a draft. There is plans for 3 parts. This is part one. Please help me finish it. Feedback is critical on this one...**_

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Same night as the Palmer Date.

Felicity shows up at Diggle's door. She is in Jeans and a t-shirt. Odd clothes for her, who is always so stylish. She still had her makeup done; but her hair was down. Flowing around her in huge curls from her up do.

She won't come in, but Diggle knew she wouldn't. Oliver positions himself behind the door so she wont see him.

Felicity hands Digg a jump drive; "everythings on there, Digg. Everything to give QC back to Oliver, if he wants it. Walter told me about some secret files. He never knew where they were or if they even existed. They prove QC was never public.

Diggle's eyes get wide as he's putting the pieces together; "this is why you took the job, so you could hunt for them without any questions."

Felicity; "took me a lot longer than I thought. they were really buried. And I mean on real paper. i converted them all to digital" a humorless laugh.

" I left a copy for Ray with my resignation. I'm leaving now. Going home."

I'll see you tomorrow, then?" Diggle knows she means something diff by 'home'

"No, I'm going back to Vegas. Leaving tonight. I already sent a copy of those files to Oliver's Lawyer." pause. "Palmer kissed me"

Diggle is silent

"He kissed me. Then he told me we're only friends. Apparently, I'm good friend material. Not much else. Barry said the same thing. Not that I was going after Barry. We both agreed there was nothing there..."

Diggle is silent.

"I waited for my dad to pick me up from school when I was 7."

Diggle looks confused; but he knew she was working through something and was finally, maybe even to her self, admitting it. So, he continues to remain silent. He could see Oliver behind the door looking just as confused.

"He always picked me up. It was our time. We would get get ice cream or play at the park or figure out a new gadget together. He was so smart. One day he never came. I waited for hours. Everyone left. No one say me. I was so little." tiny laugh. "I walked home in the dark. I got lost so many times. But I made it. The house was dark and I couldn't reach the light switches. So, I waited in the dark for my mom to get off work. She got home around 11pm."

Diggle was silent.

"He didn't just leave us, mom and me. He abandoned me. Me." Felicity had been looking down during this story., but then she looked up. "I swore I would never wait for anyone again. And that's the rub, isn't it? The one thing I could not give him. I gave him everything, Diggle." her voice began to waver. "everything, but time. And now it's too late. Promise me you'll take care of him."

Diggle nods, but again stays quiet. He's not sure he could speak if he wanted too.

"You are my best friend, you know. I will keep in touch, but not right away, OK?" Her eyes are pleading with him to understand.

Diggle steps forward and give her the biggest bear hug; "You are my best friend, too. I've never had a friend like you. Take all the time you need. I'll be here when you're ready."

"Thank You Digg."

He didn't try to stop her from her decisions. Didn't try to make her stay; just watcher her walk away with a sad smile on his face.

When Diggle closed the door. He turned around a took a big breath. Like he hadn't been breathing. he looks at Lyla and she takes Roy to go see the baby.

Oliver walks from behind the door; "Diggle-"

Diggle punches Oliver in the face causing him to fall back against the wall and then to the floor.

"You broke her. Did you hear that?! Did you? She was the best thing in your life, she was sweet and charming and honest and you took all that and destroyed it!" Now, if you don't go after her now. And I mean right now! Then we are down. She is Team Arrow and if you let her go then you are truly lost."

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**A/N: **_**Ok,**** this is just a draft, really, but I needed some feedback. I don't have a Beta. So, to the public it goes. Please tell me all the bad, the good, your suggestions. I need it all, like the air I breath. So bring it.**_


	2. Where is She? (Part 2 teaser)

**Disclaimer:**_** I own nothing of Arrow or CW. I make no profit from this product. it is purely for personal use and NOT to be sold or marketed by me or others without express written consent by the actual concept owners. Sorry.**_

_**This is still just a draft. And there are still plans for 3 MAJOR parts. So consider this part 1.5 - I thought a teaser would be AWESOME. Please help me finish it. Feedback is critical on this one...I appreciate all the comments I've received so far. It is my life blood. Thnx!**_

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_-Still the same night as the Palmer Date.-_

_Oliver walks from behind the door; "Diggle-"_

_Diggle punches Oliver in the face causing him to fall back against the wall and then to the floor._

_"You broke her. Did you hear that?! Did you?! She was the best thing in your life, she was sweet and charming and honest and you took all that and destroyed it!" Now, if you don't go after her now. And I mean right now! Then we are done. She is Team Arrow and if you let her go then you are truly lost."_

Diggle softens as he looks at Oliver's stricken face. "Man, you know what you gotta do, right?"

Oliver lifts his tortured eyes to Digg. He feels broken. Like his heart is missing. It's written all over his face and Diggle steps back.

Oliver bolts off the floor; rips the door open and takes off after Felicity. '_It had only been a minute. She couldn't have gone far.'_

He takes the stairwell; vaulting the railing to skip nearly entire flights of stairs. He gets to the street and she is nowhere. No cars on the road. Nothing. Empty. Oliver takes two steps in one direction, then looks back and take one on the other. She's gone.

Oliver rushes back to Diggle's apt. "I've gotta find her!". To those words Team Arrow goes into action. Lyla brings out communication ear pieces Felicity had staged there for emergencies while Digg pulls up plane and train schedules. Roy watches and listens absorbing the information. Within minutes they are all enroute to different transportation options.

Hours later they are back at Digg's . . . unsuccessful.

Diggle speaks first; "I got no answer from my texts."

Roy chimes in; "nothing at the train station."

Lyla; "nothing at the bus stations."

Oliver remains quiet; rocking from one foot to another. Distraught, tense, and completely wrecked. He lost her. He looks at the faces of his closest friends. His family. All by Felicity. Absorbing their loyalty; dedication to him, Oliver puts his hand on Diggle's shoulder. With a nod Oliver walks out of the apartment.

He's not sure where he's going but finds himself wondering the streets of Starling. It's his city and she is warm and comforting. Eventually he finds himself at the pier. He just stare at the water as the sun rises.

When he turns he notices a figure sitting on a bench all the way at the end of the pier. Her blonde ponytail gently blowing in the warm morning breeze. His heart stills in his chest.

With all the years of training he approaches unobserved. He didn't even do it on purpose. '_What if it's not her?'_

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**A/N: **_**Ok, so, this is just to a teaser; Part 1.5. I'm still planning 3 MAJOR part. This story is still kinda of just a draft, really, so I needed feedback. **__** Please tell me all the bad, the good, your suggestions. I need it all, like the air I breath. So bring it.**_


	3. Ice Cold Arctic Water - Part 2

**Disclaimer:**_** I own nothing of Arrow or CW. I make no profit from this product. it is purely for personal use and NOT to be sold or marketed by me or others without express written consent by the actual concept owners**_

_**This is still a draft. There is plans for 3 parts. This is Part 2. Please help me finish it. Feedback is critical on this one...**_

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_Eventually Oliver finds himself at the pier. He just stare at the water as the sun rises._

_When he turns he notices a figure sitting on a bench all the way at the end of the pier. Her ponytail gently blowing in the warm morning breeze. His heart stills in his chest._

_With all the years of training he approaches unobserved. He didn't do it on purpose._ 'What if it's not her?'

As he comes around the bench she catches him in her peripheral vision and swings around causing him to stop dead in his tracks. "Why do you keep sneaking up on me?!" she says without thinking. Inside Oliver smiles at what is so completely Felicity.

"Can I sit?"

"Do whatever you want." she throws his words back at him.

They sit in silence for a long time. He relaxes in degrees a little since finding her and finds the silence between them calming. She seems serene. and oes loose the bet with himself how long it would take before she started talking and smiles when she finely sighs; "I'm not mad at you Oliver."

Oliver does not react; just silently encourages her to continue. With a very deep breath and staring at her feet, in the smallest voice he'd ever heard from her; "I just wish it wasn't so easy to push me away. I wish I was strong enough to fight for us."

It felt like a huge bucket of cold water was just dumped on him. And this time not for any desirable charity. No, this was an an entire ocean of bitter arctic cold water pouring on him til the ocean was empty. _Did she really think it was EASY to push her away? She is the strongest person he knew. What?!_

Felicity continues; " I'm not even sure I know who I am anymore. I remember; and not long ago; I used to smile and laugh and say anything that popped into my head. I don't know her anymore and am not even sure I likes her nativity. And this has nothing to do with the Arrow; Oliver. I can't blame 'him'. This is you and me. This is how you made me feel now. But, it's not how we started." She looks at him sideways; "do you remember us? as friends? do you remember how we used to be? I liked that 'us'. I lived for that 'us'. I miss it so much."

Oliver hadn't said anything since sitting down; just listening to her fall apart. Because of him. Proverbially drenched in ice cold arctic water. Then she says something that makes his mind stop completely. "The only think I know is you are my best friend. And I just wish I could talk to you again."

He makes a decision and stands and holds out his hand, "let's go find out who we used to be. No work. No Arrow. No date. Let's just go have fun. As friends."

She looks at him. Really looks at him, and sees the blood-shot eyes and haggered appearance. And she fell in love with him all over again. Felicity stands and takes him hand. It's the first time they have touched in a very long time; since the hospital; and it felt so good.

They spend the day walking the streets; She loves to watch the trains. Oliver finds out she is fascinated by them. She rambles about not seeing alot a trains when she grew up and Oliver begins to ask questions about her. Things he'd never thought to ask. And he begins to realize she never talked about herself or her past. And it was a tragic past. But she loved trains and sunshine. She

She grew up poor. He knew this; but never really understood how poor. Her dad left when she was 7. But even before then they was no money. Then her mom broke down and was sent to a mental hospital for a year. Felicity spent a year basically on the streets of Vegas. She knew it wasn't supposed to be ideal; but she just loved the sunshine. She still went to school and spent her spare time in the libraries. Oliver can see her sitting by the windows at the library soaking up the books and the sunshine at the same time. Because she was a multi-tasker. The thought makes him smile. She tells him about how her teachers discovered she was a genius and took upon themselves to get her in special classes and she was able to skip several grades. She even had a certificate of her genius. Oliver laughs at how she can flitter from topic to topic; lightheartedly talking about how difficult life was yet it always sounded like the best times.

She talks about when her mom came back they put themselves together as a family and never talked about her dad for several years. Felicity never had friends. She was a book worm, a geek, an outcast. But through it all she kept smiling. She said one of the librarians who knew her situation would always remind her 'smiles are free'. And Felicity wanted to share all her smiles. Oliver was seeing how happiness for Felicity was not simply a feeling but actually part of her character makeup. She was happiness. Oliver realized he'd spend 5 years on an island; but Felicity had her own island she walked around with all the time and she was still sunshine in a bottle.

They finally end up at the train station. She is still leaving. He didn't even try to stop her. Never even mentioned it all day. But before getting on the train she turns and looks at Oliver, smiling her radiant 'Felicity' smile; "I really liked today. Thank You. And I want you to know..." she pauses for several heartbeats; her voice wavers as she continues "I will wait. For you. I will. I know you heard what I told Digg." typical Felicity ramble. But Oliver looks at her with total focus. She continues a bit stronger and faster "Mom doesn't even know. That I waited for him for hours and he never came. I was asleep when she got home and she didn't realize he'd left until she got up the next morning and found his note. She never knew." She looks up straight into his eyes; "I will wait for you. But not here. You know where to find me when your ready. And I'll be waiting. Only you."

He smiles. Doesn't say anything. Just smiles the smile he reserves just for her. Only her.

And Felicity leaves Starling City. With a smile. And hope.

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**A/N: **_**Ok, was this what you expected? It's a bit melancholy; and might need some refining (Is it drafty in here? See what I did there?)...but I wanted to get a few point out there and out of the way. I needed some feedback. I don't have a Beta. So, tell me all the bad, the good, your suggestions. I need it all, like the air I breath. So bring it.**_


	4. What happens in Vegas - Part 3

**Disclaimer:**_** I own nothing of Arrow or CW. I make no profit from this product. it is purely for personal use and NOT to be sold or marketed by me or others with express written consent by the actual concept owners**_

_**This is still a draft. There is Part 3 (the end). Feedback is critical on this one...**_

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_She looks up straight into his eyes; "I will wait for you. But not here. You know where to find me when your ready. And I'll be waiting. Only you."_

_He smiles. Doesn't say anything. Just smiles the smile he reserves just for her. Only her._

_And Felicity leaves Starling City. With a smile. And hope._

**5 months later**

Oliver took action the very next day after Felicity left. Deciding to be Oliver and not just the Arrow. His talent to focus on a single task served him well in his new endeavor; taking him a lot less time then expected to recover his company and re-brand (again) as Queen Technologies. The city even rallies behind him, as though they were fighting for the home team; one of their own. There is support from all sides; the mayor, Walter and other banks, business men and politicians; they all happily endorse his plan. And his plan works. He's more surprised then anyone how much of a business man he really was.

First, he asks Palmer to stay. Oliver likes him and what he does, so he takes Palmer Tech and turns it into a subsidiary. Palmer is thrilled. He never liked doing the mngmt stuff. Oliver is actually much better suited to lead. And Oliver does a great job. He inspires.

Next, he bundles his military inspired programs and pitches a complete package to the government. With the security systems he'd designed it was easy to assure them of the utmost confidentiality. With the added bonus of surprising even ARGUS with non-lethal weapons they'd never seen before.

Lastly, be grows the company, something no one expected. He create new branches in more cities creating jobs and making QT (Queen Tech) a household name.

All the while Oliver is, well, being the best Oliver, he is still being Arrow. But with his team (save one)there is a lot less crime for him to face single-handed.

Digg keeps tabs on Felicity. He finds she moonlighting at her mom's casino in Vegas and was hired as an IT for a small tech company. She is keeping a very low profile; doing simple system repairs. Digg comes across a memo from the executives regarding her indicating their collective decision not to promote her regardless of her obvious superior capabilities. Singularly because they did not want her reputation to color public opinion of their company.

Diggle watches Oliver's face as he reads the report. It's almost imperceptible; but the sheen of his eyes is unmistakable.

**Vegas (1 week later)**

Oliver and Digg walk into the casino dressed in their best business suits. Oliver commands attention by his mere presence and a lot of people watch him; some are obvious about it. Others try to be a bit more secretive, but he sees them all.

They find the bouncer, Bruno, easily enough. Donna Smoak had told then to find him, he would always know where Felicity was when she was little. And he was huge. Diggle almost walked right into him as his eyes travel up to see the biggest biceps. Diggle and Oliver share a look.

It only take a minute for Oliver to determine Bruno is an idiot, but he loves Felicity, and so does everyone else in the casino. Bruno tells them all about how she used to sneak in as a kid and help players by count cards which is why the owner gave her a job dealing when she was old enough. Now she is his best dealer; earning the most tips and bringing in the most for the house. High stakes players are always flocking to her table. Bruno gestures to the House TV and Felicity's finger skills are actually featured on the house advertisements. Digg spots her hands on the video first and bumps Oliver's shoulder to get his attn. His eye go wide for a split sec when he recognizes her fingers and the flashy nail polish. Her fingers are shuffling cards so fast the video actually plays it in slow motion, too. Diggle speaks very low; "well, we are in the right place."

They don't find Felicity on the floor, so they are directed to the lounge to find Donna where she works as the Manager.

When they enter the dimly lit lounge the show is already on; a sultry female voice fills the dark room. It's a warm voice full of love and loss and hope. As they turn the corner they see a jazz band on a small stage with a singer standing center in a slim to the floor sequined chartreuse dress. As Oliver eyes follow the sheath dress up he sees Felicity; singing. With that voice! And she looks gorgeous! Curly hair swept up exposing her neck and shoulders. She's belting out a jazzy song of love and endless hope. Her eyes are closed as she hits notes and holds then for impossibly amounts of time. Diggle and Oliver share one of their Team Arrow conversation looks: Oliver: "Did you know she..?" Diggle: "Not a clue, man. But DAMN!, Right?" Oliver: "Yep. that's my girl."

She finishes her song and looks into the audience. She instantly sees him. Oliver seeing his chance bolts up on stage. Audience be damned. He comes to an confident stop too close to her and steps back minutely. They look at each other for an uncomfortable (to the audience) amount of time having their own silent conversation. Felicity speaks first; "Why?" confusion written all over her face. Oliver take a heartbeat; then in his super soft voice says, "You." Her face registers shock then slowly morphs into the most dazzling smile Oliver has ever seen; "Yes" She answers his unspoken question.

Oliver breaths again. He didn't even realize he hadn't been. Ever so slowly he bends down as his hand come up to cup the sides of her face and the other at her elbow. The kiss is tender and loving at first, but there is a promise of the forever happiness they are communicating to each other and the kiss deepens into something passionate and endearing.

Their brought back to earth by the thunderous applause from the audience. Oliver brings her in close to her side as they smile at the strangers sharing their moment. Donna is behind the bar literally jumping up and down with joy, which makes Oliver laugh. Diggle in the back with his arms crossed leaning against the wall; smiling.

Oliver looks down at Felicity, winks. "Thank you for waiting".

Felicity, in her infinite wisdom, looks directly into his eyes and with total confidence; "I knew you could do it."

**Fin**

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**A/N: **_**Ok, this is just a draft, really, but I needed some feedback. I don't have a Beta. Looking for one - contact me if you'd like to be mine. So,anyway, to the public it goes. Please tell me all the bad, the good, your suggestions. I need it all, like the air I breath. So bring it.**_


End file.
